The need to lift a vehicle from the ground for service work is well established. For instance, it is often necessary to lift a vehicle to access vehicle's undercarriage for tire rotation or replacement, steering alignment, oil changes, brake inspections, exhaust work, and other automotive maintenance. In the past, such lifting has often been accomplished through the use of “two-post” style lifts. These two-post lifts are generally used in systems of two or more lifting-posts configured either symmetrically or asymmetrically. Each lifting-post comprises a vertical column, with a carriage that actuates up and down the column. Attached to the carriage is a pair of outwardly-extending arms (“swing arms”) configured to engage the undercarriage of the vehicle that is to be lifted.
It is generally necessary for the swing arms of two-post lifts to incorporate locking devices that secure the swing arms in place once the lifts begin to support a load (e.g., a vehicle). Such locking devices can prevent movement or shifting (e.g., rotation, retraction, or extension) of the swing arms once the vehicle begins to be lifted, so as to prevent the loss of the load. However, it is difficult to monitor and verify whether the swing arms on previously-used two-post lifts are properly locked in place. In addition, it is also difficult to monitor previously-used lifts to determine if the lifts' swing arms are overloaded or imbalanced.